Conveyer.



- Arm-881,042. PATBNTBD MAR. 3, 1908.

B. H. ALVBY.

CONVEYER. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 6. 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

@mi h1 eases i @WM-ff. d@

. Q QS N PUBMED MAR. s. 1903.

B; H. ALVBX.. Y GONVEYER.

APPLIGATION FILED AUG. 6. 190'/ 2 SHEETS-SHEET z.`

. llll I [ooo N i Q D amante y j @www f d@ of packages so a's adapted to retard Umrs sa *narran-rr cierren.

BENJAMIN ALVEY, OI" LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOBJ TO THE ALVEY-FERGUSON COMPANY, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, A CORPORATION KENTUCKY.

CONVEYER.

specification of Letters raten-t.

i Patented e, ieee.

Application filed August 6, 1907. Serial No. 387,265.

To all whom it magy concern:

Beit known that I, BENJAMIN II. ALvnY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky', have'invented certain new and useful Improvements in Conveyers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in carriers or conveyers, and particularly to the type thereof, shown, for example, in my Patent Number 790,811 granted May 23, 1905, in which packages are propelled along a Way. having rollers for the packages to travel upon, by an endless traveling means having propelling or pushing devices to engage the packages and communicate movement thereto on said rollers.

In these conveyers, it is found that the pushing devis are liable to get under the packages at the receiving end of the conveyer, and are not roperly propelled thereby along the Way, ut, on the contrary, are dragged or carried a short distance and then allowed to fall back, the disadvantage of which is apparent. To reduce this liability, the patent' referred to disclosed ropelling devices in thei form of rotatable tlig ts or carriersl Among the importantdvantages of these flights or carriers is their adaptability to turn freely on their shafts and travel from beneath packages which are not properly -positioned in front of the same, wit-hout carrying such packages onto the `vay or around the sprocket by which the endless chains carrying said flights are propelled.

vhile in many casesthe flights or carriers referred to satisfactorily accomplish the purose referred to, yet in some cases they have een lfound to be unsatisfactory in this respect. )Iy present invention therefore contemplates the provision of a conveyer with means which project into the path of travel to be engaged by said packages, and as a principal function thereof are or resist the movement of packages which are not properly engaged with t-he propelling means of the conveyer, sufficiently to hold such packages against movement with the propelling means, and are Vfurther adapted to permit movement with the propelling means of packages which are properly engaged by the latter. The means referred to, -as herein shown and as preferred, comprise a pair of arms which project toward each. other, diagonally into the Way or path of travel of the packages from opposite sides of the way and control the movement" of vpackages on the Way.' rIhey have sufficient rigidity to resist direct onward movement of packages which are not properly positioned on the track or Way and are improperly engaged with the propelling means, While they are suiiciently elastic to yield to the pressure of suitably positioned packages which by reason of a proper engagement with the propelling means are being forcibly ropelled along the Way, such yieldability t ereby permitting the packages to pass between the arms.

As herein illustrated this feature of the invention is embodied in a conveyer comprising the features of my patent hereinbe fore referred to, and is especially adapted for use with the same, but is not restricted to use therewith. l

In my present construction, I have also embodied certain important changes in the construction of the frame of the conveyer,

and means for taking up slack in the endless pro elling chains.

'libe invention consists in certain peculiariu ties in the construction and arrangement of parts, and in certain novel combinations of elements substantially -ashereinafter de- 4 scribed and particularly pointed out in the subjoined claims.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown what I at present regard as the best form of the invention but it is distinctly to be understood that the invention is not in its broader aspects restricted to the detail form and arrangement illustrated and that the latter is merely preferred'and exemplificatoryof one of many diierent forms and arrangementsv in which the invention may be embodied without departure from the spirit thereofor from the scope of subjoined claims.-

In the drawings :HFigure 1 is a perspective view of the receiving end portion of a conveyer embodying my present improve ments. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the conveyer. Fig. 3 is` a side elevation of the receiving end portion thereof.` I

The same characters of reference designate the same parts in the several views.

rEhe frame of the conveyer or carrier is mountedjat each end upon suitably arranged supporting legs of which those at the receiving end are designated by the reference letter 1 whi-le those at the delivery end are designated by the reference letters 2. As' here shown, the carrier has an upwardly-inclined l portion A, thecne illustrated being intended I' to convey packages from one floor or level lto another.- There are four of the legs 1 andv they are preferably made 4of angle irons; They are connected With each other at the sides of the frame by braces 3 which also are preferably made of angle ironst The braces v 3 are so formed or disposedy as 'to leave Abetween them, at each side of the frame, a space or o ening 5 adapted respectively to receive vthe liearings 6 of the journals 7 of the sprockets 8 by which the chains 9 of the propeller are moved. 4The braces 3 also accommodate and support boxes 1'0 Within which the bearings 6 are adapted to be moved to take up slack inthe chains 9, and through the end of said boxes screws 11, having wheels 12 or other suitable means for convenience in operating -the same, are threaded and engage the bearings 6 and are adapted vto move the latter: The-boxes 10 and bearings 6 are formed respectively with interengaged guide Vflanges 10-i and grooves 6a. The legs 1 are alsoconnected -With each other by cross pieces 13, also preferably made of angle iron. The

' longitudinal sides of the frame, similarly preferably are formed of upper, lower and intermediate angle irons, which may be disposedas in my patented construction aforesaid: that is to say, having, at each side, upper members 1.4 and. 15, arranged with the verticalv portions .14a of one extending downward and the iilar portion of the other extending upward from the respective horizontal portions thereof, to form guides for the upper runs of the chains 9; lower members 16 are similarly disposed to form guides for the.

' irons, for holding the upper runs of said chains against dragging, or downward m ov-emen t,

at the receiving end of the conveyer. Such means are afforded by the straps or irons 22 located at the sides of the frame and extending from the sprocket 8, longitudinally of the frame, either throughout the ent-ire length thereof, or only to the angle irons 15, if the latter be arranged 'as in my patented construction referred to. These irons or straps 22 Vhave their upper surfaces approximately in the horizontal plane of the upper surface vof the sprockets, so as eiiectually to support the upper runzof the chains against any tendency to drag atthe receiving end of the conveyer. Their` ends, 23, contiguous lto the sprockets 8 are rounded and bent back,. whereby they are strengthened at this place and afford no obstruct-ion to the free travel of theychain's from the sprockets..

. lt will .be understood that the chains 9 referred to, carry the package-engaging devices. The form of such devices herein shown are similar to those shown in my said patented construction, consisting of rotatable liights or carriers 25 extending-across and above the, bed of the Way from one chain to the other.' As already suggested, these flightsv or carriers are reasonably effective in freeing themselves, by their rotative movements on their axes and their onward movement with the chains, from packages which are upon instead of infront of them. I have, however, as already stated, found it desirable to provide means which will afford resistance to the onward movement of the packages at the receiving'end of the conf veyer sothat such movement vof packageswhich are not properly engaged with the propellers will be absolutely assured. For this purpose l employ apair of spring arms 26 and 27'which are suitably secured at their forward ends to the frame of the conveyer, as shown at 2S, 28, and have their opposite ends free and projecting toward each other into the path of lthepackages, one of which packages is indicated atX in Figs. 2 and 3. It will be apparent that if a package is being carried upon one of the propelling rollers 25, it' will be engaged and held by the spring arms 28 until the roller has passed from beneath it, .When it will properly settle upon the bed ot the conveyer in position to be properly engaged by the next succeeding propelling roller 25. lt will also be apparent that'the arms will yield to a package which is being properly propelled and willpermit the same to pass between and beyond them.

From the foregoing, the purposes, advantages and operation of the several new features of the present invention will be readily understood and it will further be understood that language used herein, andv the drawings, are to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a restrictive sense the invention being susceptible of many apparently widely different variations without departure from the spirit thereof or the scope of subjoined claims. l

Having thus described the invention what l believe to be new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a conveyer, a package propelling means having traveling .devices to engage' the packages and force the same along the seines conveyer, and means for retarding the mve- Inent' of packages which. are improperly engagedby said propelling means, and to permit the movement of such packages as are properly engaged therewith.

' 2. In a conveyer, a package propelling means comprising endless traveling chains and devices extending transversely of the conveyer and connecting the chains with each other and adaptedto engage the packages, and means for 'retarding the movement of packages Which are improperly engaged by vment of suchpackages as are properly ensaid devices, and to permit the move- 'gaged therewith. l 3. In a conveyer, af'pa'ckage propelling -means having traveling devices to force the packages along the conveyer, and yieldable armsextending toward each other into the path of the packages and adapted to pre- .vent movement of packages which are iin-- properly engag'ed by said devices and to permit movement of suc-h packages as are properly engaged therewith.

. formed to provide guide Ways, endless chains 4. In a conveyer, a framecomprising sides "which travel in said Ways, packageengaging ievices carried bv said chains, and arms ex- Atending diagonally into the path of the so.

packages, and adapted to prevent movement of such packages as are improperly en- ."gaged with said devices, saidv arms being Ayieldable topermit` movement of packages inclined portion, means for conveying packages along said Way, and yieldable arms extending toward each other and into the path of the packages, at or n ear the base of the incline.

8. In a conveyer, a track orv Way, and arms y arranged in the path of movementl of packages on said track-or Way, said arms extending diagonally inward beyond the lateral boundaries of the track or way from opposite sides of the same and in the direction of movement of the packages.

9. In a conveyer, a track or Way, an endless traveling means arranged over the track or Way andhaving devices to engage the packages and control the movement of the same on the track or Way, and arms between which the packages travel, said arms extending from opposite sides of the track or Way,

finward beyond the lateralboundaries thereof ages on the track or way.'

l0. In a conveyer, the combination with a means for supporting packages, and devices traveling relatively to said means and controlling the movement of packages thereon, of means adaptedto restrain the movement of packages until the traveling devices are in position properly to engage the same.-

11. In a conv/ayer, the combination with a means for supporting packages, and devices traveling relatively to said means and controlling the movement oi packages thereon, of spring arms projecting into the path of the packages and adapted to restrain the movement of the same until the traveling devices are in position properly to engage the same.

l2. In a conveyer, a track or way, an endless traveling means arranged over the track or Way and having devices to engage the packages and control the movementof the same on said track or Way, and arms arranged in the-pata of movement of packages on said track or way, said arms yextending inward into i the track or Way from the sides of `t-he same and yieldable to permit packages to pass therebetween 'which are being forcibly propelled bysaid traveling means.

13. In a conveyer, a package propelling ,means having rotatable traveling devices to in the direction of movement of the packforce the packages along the conveyer, and

retarding means in the path of said packages, adapte'dto prevent. movement of packages which are improperly engaged with the propelling, devices and to permit movement of packages which are properly engaged with said devices.

14. In a conveyer, a package propelling means having endless traveling chains and rotatably mounted tlights or carriers connecting the chains with each other and adapted to v engage packages above the bottoms thereof; and yieldable retarding lmeans arranged in the path of the packages and adapted to retard. the movement of packages improperly engaged With said 'fiightsor carriers.

l5. In a conveyer, a package propelling means having endless traveling chains and rotatably mounted iiights or carriers connecting the chains with each other and adapted to engage packages above the bottoms thereof lz and spring arms extending inclinatorily toward each other into the path of the packages and adapted to retard the movement of packages improperly engaged with said flights or carriers.

16. A conveyer, comprising a frame having a track or-Way provided with rollers upon f which travel the packages being conveyed, a traveling conveying means having roller iiights which arel engaged above the fir-st mentioned rollers and engage the sides of the packages and push the same along the track ISO or Way, and retarding means arranged in the path of the packages, for the purposes specified.

17. A eonveyer, comprising a i'rame having a track or Way providedwvith rollers upon -vvhich travel the packages being` conveyed .a travelingl conveying means haring roller flights which are arranged above the first mentioned rollers and engage the sides of the packages and push the same along' the tracli or Way, and jvieidable arms projecting' into the path ot' the packages, t'or the purposes specified.

18.' A con'vever comprising' a frame formed to provide a package-way, an endless traveline` means b3' which the packages are propelled along said wav, rotative means at the opposite ends of the Way for communicating motion to the endless traveling` means, a support for the frame depending' therefrom and havingI a bracing' means arranged below said frame and at each side ol the support, tale-up boves for the journals of one of the rota-tive means, slidably mounted upon the bracing` means, said bracingl means and boxes havingr iuterengaged guide-flanges and grooves, and means for adjusting the take-up boxes upon the bracing means.

19. A conveyer, comprising a frame, provided with a l'loor, endless traveling means having iaekage-engaging devices for pro` pellingt e packages along' said Hoor, rotative means for communicating motion to the traveling means, supports for said frame by which the bearmgs ol said rotative devices are carried, one of said supports having' its asma-.2

sides provided with braces relatirelvvV disposed to leave a space between them, talie up boxes secured to said braces and having an opening registered with that besvveen the same, bearings l'or the journals ol the rotav tive device slidably mounted in said box eontiguous to said opening, and adjusting de vices threadablvv engaged with the ends ol the boxes and engaging said bearings.

20. convever comprising a frame. pro

vided with a floor, endless traveling' means.

having;` pacliae'ceng ngjdevices for propelling` the packages alongl said iioor. rota tive :means for con'nnunicating motion to the traveling means, supports for said tra me by vwhich the vbearings ol2 said rotative devices are carried, one of said supports having' its sides provided with braces formed of angle irons relatively disposed to leave a spare between them, take up boxes secured to said braces and having an opening registered with. that betvveen the same, bearings for the journals of the rotative device slidabl)v mounted in said box contiguous to said opening, said boxes and bearings respectivebr formed with guide grooves and flanges, and adjusting devices threadably engaged with the ends of the boxes and engagingsaid bearings.

In testimony Whereof I allix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

l BENJAMlN H. ALYEY. l

Witnesses l Jamas W. BROWSE. L. SBEnxnEin. 

